This case was filed in December 2004 in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, by twelve African-Americans who alleged that their employer, Ford Motor Company, as well as their union, the UAW, violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 1981, and Michigan state anti- ...
read more >

This case was filed in December 2004 in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, by twelve African-Americans who alleged that their employer, Ford Motor Company, as well as their union, the UAW, violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 1981, and Michigan state anti-discrimination law. At issue were selection tests for apprenticeship training programs, tests which the plaintiffs said had a disparate impact upon blacks.

The EEOC brought a separate action against Ford (1:04-cv-00845), and the cases were consolidated. In June 2005 both cases were resolved via a settlement agreement. Ford agreed to pay $8.55 million and to implement a new selection process for its apprenticeship programs. This agreement further required Ford to hire an industrial psychologist to design this new selection process and to place 279 members of the Settlement Class on the eligibility list for the Ford apprenticeship program.

On June 15, 2005, the court found that the proposed Settlement Agreement was fair and on June 16, 2005, the court granted the Plaintiff's Motion in Support of Award of Attorney's Fees and Reimbursement of Expenses. The court ordered the Defendant to pay $1.1 million to class counsel to cover fees and expenses incurred during settlement negotiations, and $567,000 to cover fees and expenses associated with the implementation and monitoring of the Settlement Agreement.